


Queen's Best Friend

by aban_ataashi



Category: Pathfinder: Kingmaker (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:02:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24219334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aban_ataashi/pseuds/aban_ataashi
Summary: Kanerah has an unexpectedly adorable surprise for the Baroness.
Relationships: The Baroness/Kanerah
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	Queen's Best Friend

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Лучший друг королевы](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25524574) by [MirroringGlass](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MirroringGlass/pseuds/MirroringGlass)



After so much time spent together, Mercury likes to believe she’s refined the skill of guessing what Kanerah is thinking. It’s not always easy- there are times when she’s pretty sure even _Kanerah_ doesn’t know what’s really going in her head. But sometimes it’s not difficult at all, and when Kanerah enters the throne room with a smirk and a swagger Mercury knows for a fact that the other woman has been scheming over something.

“I come bearing good news,” she says, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. “Do you recall that litter of trollhound pups our hunters stumbled upon?”

Mercury scrunches her nose as she leans over the long table and mentally reviews all of the issues that have been brought to her attention over the past few weeks. “The ones they weren’t sure were really trollhounds?”

Kanerah rolls her eyes. “Because they would just happen to find a completely normal breed of dog in the troll caves. But yes, those are the ones.” Her dismissive tone lightens somewhat, and she lifts her chin as she continues to speak. “You will be happy to hear that I have resolved the issue.”

The promise of further pertinent information hangs in the air, but Kanerah’s coy smile suggests she needs a little prodding before sharing it. Whatever the news is, the self-satisfied excitement Kanerah attempts to veil brings a smile to Mercury’s lips.

“And just how did you resolve it?” Mercury asks obligingly. Her smile fades slightly as she remembers the trepidation that had been evident in the original report about the pups. “Before you answer, you should know I’ll be _really_ disappointed if you built up all this anticipation just to tell me the hunters slaughtered them.”

Mercury doesn’t really believe Kanerah would be looking so pleased with herself if that were case, but she’s still relieved when the tiefling scoffs at the idea. “Not at all. They are most likely monstrous, but that would be _such_ a waste.”

“So what did you do, then?” Mercury asks, her interest increasing by the second. “The townspeople certainly didn’t seem keen on letting them roam free.”

Kanerah’s sly smile returns. “Why don’t you come with me, and I’ll show you?”

And now Mercury is _curious._

She lets Kanerah lead her out of the throne room and through the streets. Her excitement builds when Kanerah takes her behind the city barracks, where the army’s kennelmasters keep the warhounds. At last, Kanerah leads her to fenced off area, and with a flourish presents to Mercury a pen full of large, boisterous, _adorable_ puppies.

It’s hardly a shock at this point, but Mercury can’t hold back a squeal of delight at the sight of the young pups. Her reaction elicits a chuckle from Kanerah, but Mercury could not care less about appearing a dignified ruler at this moment.

“You bought _all of them?!”_

Without waiting for a reply, Mercury vaults herself over the fence and falls to her knees, inviting the pups to run into her arms. A few comply eagerly, dashing forward to greet her with wagging tails; some of the others keep their distance, warily eying the loud stranger who has suddenly appeared in their new home.

“We did, but they’re not trained quite yet,” Kanerah calls from the other side of the fence. Fondness and exasperation color her voice in equal measures. “They may be young, but they’re still monsters. Get out of there before you lose a finger.”

“Worth it!” Mercury replies immediately. She scratches one of the pups under the chin as another clambers up her arm to lick at her face. A third races in a circle around her, yipping impatiently for a share of her attention.

This close, it’s obvious that they have at least some trollhound blood; they’re much larger than any other pups Mercury has seen, with fiercely sharp teeth that overhang slightly from their jaws and rough hides that lack the usual puppy fluff. But none of that lessens the fact that they are _adorable,_ and as Mercury watches them trip over their oversized paws in their exuberant competition for attention, her heart completely melts.

She glances over her shoulder to see Kanerah studying her with a resigned smile. Mercury gives her an ecstatic grin in return. _“_ You’re a genius, K. Have I told you you’re a genius lately?”

Kanerah laughs, her chin lifting slightly as she preens at the compliment. “You have. But feel free to say it again as many times as you wish.”

It’s a wonderful sound, Kanerah’s laugh- her genuine, unguarded, uncalculated laugh. Mercury wishes she could save it in a bottle, to be released again whenever she wishes. She wants to sweep Kanerah up, kiss her, make her laugh some more. But there are people around, guards and kennelmasters and servants. So she saves that thought for later, when they’re alone, and turns her attention back to the pups.

The more cautious pups are approaching her now, apparently having decided she poses no threat. Mercury giggles as they run forward to sniff her fingers, then yelps as she pulls them back just in time to avoid a nip from too-sharp teeth.

“I warned you,” Kanerah says, amused.

“Still worth it,” Mercury chants back, gathering one of the gentler pups in her arms and bringing it over to Kanerah. “Just look that face. You know want to pet her. Nobody can resist something this cute.”

Kanerah rolls her eyes, but she can’t hide the softness in the smile at the edge of her lips. “Don’t go spoiling them. I bought them to be war hounds, not lap dogs.”

“I don’t think those are mutually exclusive.”

“You will once they’ve grown to four times the size of a normal dog with fangs and a temper to match. You’d be losing arms instead of fingers.” Despite her words, Kanerah traces a finger softly behind the pup’s ear, earning a happy tail wag from the small creature. “That’s why I brought you to see them while they were still small and precious.”

“Aww.” Mercury smiles and leans in closer. “You’re sweet.”

Kanerah gentle smile drops, and she makes a skeptical noise in the back of her throat. “I am not.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.” Before she can protest, Mercury darts closer and kisses Kanerah on the cheek, quick and light before anyone else can see.

Kanerah freezes for a moment before glancing away. Anyone else might not notice the blush growing under the burnt orange of her skin, but Mercury hasn’t spent all that time studying her for nothing. It’s cute, really, how Kanerah can take all of Mercury’s flirty smiles and dirty jokes with a smirk and a witty comeback, and yet a simple kiss on the cheek leaves her so flustered.

“You’d better not,” Kanerah replies loftily, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder. “I have a reputation to uphold.”

“And I wouldn’t dream of ruining the image of my terrifyingly genius treasurer. Now come in here and pet some puppies with me. That’s a royal order.”


End file.
